The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1887-05-20
THE PENSION OFFICE.

What the Democratic Party IL
D0lng for the Soldiers Of tho
Late War. i
spscial 20 the sentinel. \
WASHINGTON. May 1.-THE following /
statement Of the work of
the Pension Bureau during the last two
years Of the Republican rule and the first
two years Of the Democratic Adminis-
sration speaks volumes. The records of
the Government are. Of course, kept by
fiscal years, the appropriations being
made BY Congress In that manner:
In the year ending June 80, 1883, un-
der the administration of w. w. Dud-
ley, there were 81, ,279 pension certificates
Issued, OF which number 38.l6i were
original cases, and the remainder in
crease and miscellaneous claims. For
the fiscal year ending Juue 80, 1884, the
total number OF certificates issued was
l56, ,720, OF which 34.l90 were original
land the remainder increase and miscel-
llancous cases. In the next fiscal year,
Iup 70 the nth Of Msrch, 1885, when the
lpresent Com missioner entered upon The
lduties OF his Office, there were 39.l5l
certificates Of all kinds issued. From
March IL up to June 80 Of the same year,
Ia period OF only two months and . half,
there were issued 81 ,252 pension certifi-
Gates. The fiscal year ending June 80.
Il886, made : splendid showing for the
lmew administration, there having been
Issued 76. .654 pension certificates. 40652
lot which were original cases. In that
same fiscal year OF 1886 there were also
Iiesued 1885 supplemental certificates
TO widows aud dependent relatives
whose pension had been increased by
1.-The act or March 10, 1886 a grand total
for that one year OF 1868 allowances.
These supplemental certificates were is
|lsued within very few months after the
passage Of the law, the Commissioners OF
pensions having personally directed how
The work should be done. Al no time
liz the history Of the Office has such M
lenormous number Of pensions been in
lcrcased without interference with the
regular work OF the Office. or without Z
call upon Congress for additional help.
From the lst OF July 1856, up 10 and in
Iclnding the 3 th of April 1887, there
were 7l,6U8 certificates issued, Of which
l34,s52 were original cases.
. There are yet remaining two months
lof he present fiscal year, and the resnl
Twill be 4 magnificent showing, greater
by far than my previous ear in the his
tory OF tile Office. II should be borne i,
mind that this immense amount Of worl
has been performed with a reduction .
the clerical force Of over l0O. With III
administration OF the present Commis
sioner new era was inauxurated IN III
Pension Buresu. He determined 4
conduct the Office upon strict business
r principles, aud required that the eniir'
lime Of the clerical force during oftic'
: hours should be devoted 10 the consider
ation aud transaction Of the public bust
mess, aud The settlement OF long delayed
pension clsiins. As one result OF thi
Regulation the fiscal year exhibited saw
ling IN the matter OF leaves Of absence o
1864 days Of the aggregate time Of th'
d dlclerical force. or fOfty-twO years, clever
!. months and four days of the time Of I
single clerk.
In the year 1885 the present Commis
> sioner turned over 10 the Treasury on
hundred thousand dollars (tl0OUU0) o
Iunexpended appropriations on accoun
. lOf the hire of clerical force, and he ef
Ifected a saving In the same wear IL tn
tlitem or stationary NJ over thirteen thou
/. sand dollars (tl3OOO)-this. notwiih
q Is,andimg the fact that The business Of til
bureau has been very largely increased
I'll Il was formerly the practice that wheI
. pension claim had been neglected :
that IL, when the claimant or his attorne.
had failed to call up the case for Ger
tain length OF time, TO mark the cas-
ls'abandoned,' and consider 1t In abou
1.-The same light as rejected case. Tn
Commissioner reversed this unjus prac
ltice. and required OF his chiefs that al
claims should be given chance Of bein
lconsidered aud finally adjudicated. Ev
Iery case filed during his administratio
Ihas received prompt attention and hI
|ordcr that all cases fled prior 10 his en-
TRY into Office should be examined DC
lfore the Let OF June has already bee
fully complied with, and there is not
!, leingle case In the pending files Of the o.
ut fce which has not been examined, an
Iin which steps have not been taken q
'plward its final settlement, To iIlustras
1.-THE enormous increase In the business {
Vthe Pension Bureau, during the mont
: lof March. 1854, there were received los
1888 pieces OF mail matter, aud there wei
lsent out from the Office 14l,698 circular
land letters. In the month Of Marcl
I1O07, there were received 267. .263 piecs
= |of mail matter, and there were sent o.
from the Office lS6 l42 letters aud ci
lculars.
The following table will show Il
number Of pension certificates Issue
during the fscal wears ending June ?
1883, 1854. 1855. 1886, and for the year
A.ll687 up 10 the Both Of April: